The present invention relates to user identification of a centrifugal separator and administration of actual operation data of the centrifugal separator.
In general, the life of each centrifugal separator is dependent on the durability of an actuator (e.g., a driving motor). The cumulative rotation number or the like of the centrifugal separator is a good indication for administrating the centrifugal separator.
Furthermore, when the centrifugal separating operation is performed at a higher rotational speed equivalent to 40,000 rpm or above, the life of a rotor accommodating a sample should be carefully managed based on the frequency of use or its operation time.
The published Japanese patent application No. 9117695 discloses a centrifugal separator which is capable of administrating actual operation data of the centrifugal separator for each user carrying an ID card.
An object of the present invention is to provide a centrifugal separator and its administration system capable of easily identifying each use of the centrifugal separator, and capable of performing various processing for storage, search, edit, and calculation as well as display and printout based on ample operation data of this centrifugal separator.
Furthermore, an object of the present invention provides a centrifugal separator and its administration system communicating with a personal computer for realizing an enhanced administration system.
In order to accomplish this and other related objects, the present invention provides a centrifugal separator comprising a motor serving as an actuator, a rotor driven by the motor, an input section for entering operating conditions of a centrifugal separation of a sample accommodated in the rotor, a display unit for displaying the operating conditions, a memory section for storing control data of the centrifugal separator as well as a user ID code and a corresponding user name which are registered in advance by a user, and user identifying means for identifying a user by checking whether a user ID code entered through the input section agrees with the registered user ID code.
Preferably, the centrifugal separator of the present invention can be embodied in the following manner.
The memory section stores a machine ID code used for identifying the centrifugal separator, in addition to the user ID code and the corresponding user name. A plurality of user ID codes can be assigned to each user, so that the user identifying means can identify the user based on the plurality of user ID codes.
The display unit does not display the user ID code during a registration of the user ID and when the user ID code is entered through the input section.
The display unit displays the user name corresponding to the user ID code while keeping the user ID code in secret, when user information needs to be displayed on the display unit for discriminating the user of the centrifugal separator and for discriminating the user of the actual operation data of the centrifugal separator.
The user name is a combination of characters and/or symbols which can identify the user.
An operation of the centrifugal separator is prohibited when the user identifying means judged that the user ID code entered through the input section disagrees with the registered user ID code.
A reservation of the centrifugal separator is allowed when both of the user ID code and the user name are accepted.
The reservation of the centrifugal separator and its change or cancel are allowed only when the user ID code is accepted.
The centrifugal separator executes data communication with a personal computer to share reservation data between the centrifugal separator and the personal computer, thereby allowing the user to make a reservation, and change or cancel the reservation at the personal computer.
The memory section stores actual operation data of the centrifugal separator together with operation conditions and the user name.
The actual operation data include at least one item selected from the group consisting of date/time of use, type of the rotor, manufacturing number of the rotor, rotation number, temperature, operation time, cumulative rotation number, user name, sample, solvent, solution, additive, used tube, used bottle, used adapter, and other special note.
The actual operation data are edited as a file data for each of individual users.
The actual operation data are classified into subclasses corresponding to individual users, a total cumulative rotation number of each user during a predetermined duration is measured, and an actual operation ratio of each user is obtained based on the total cumulative rotation number during the predetermined duration as a ratio of use of the centrifugal separator by the each user relative to an overall operation of the centrifugal separator.
The centrifugal separator is identified by a machine ID code which is attached to the actual operation data when the actual operation data are transmitted to an external device via a communication device.
The actual operation data transmitted to the external device include at least one item selected from the group consisting of the user ID code, user name list, record of use of the centrifugal separator, programmed operating conditions of the centrifugal separator, and record of use of the rotor.
Deletion of the actual operation data from the memory section is allowed when the actual operation data is successfully transmitted from the centrifugal separator to the external device.
Furthermore, the present invention provides an administration program for administrating an actual operation of a centrifugal separator installable in a personal computer performing data communication with a centrifugal separator, the administration program including the steps of: receiving actual operation data from the centrifugal separator, the actual operation data being classified into subclasses corresponding to individual users; processing the actual operation data for storage, administration, edit and calculation; and outputting result of the processing.
Preferably, the administration program of the present invention can be embodied in the following manner.
The administration program further comprises the steps of judging a machine ID code of the centrifugal separator attached to the actual operation data in the processing for storing the actual operation data of the centrifugal separator, and filing the actual operation data in accordance with the machine ID code.
The administration program further comprises a step of allowing a user to assign a new user name through the personal computer in the processing for administrating the actual operation data of the centrifugal separator, wherein the personal computer provides more characters and/or symbols available for registering the new user name compared with the characters and/or symbols usable in the centrifugal separator.
The processing for editing the actual operation data of the centrifugal separator is performed based on the data obtained during a predetermined duration.
A ratio of use of the centrifugal separator by each user relative to an overall operation of the centrifugal separator is obtained based on a total count selected from the group of frequency of use, operation time, cumulative rotation number, and any combination of them during a predetermined duration, in the processing for calculating the actual operation data of the centrifugal separator.
The editing or calculating result of the actual operation data of the centrifugal separator is rearranged in a predetermined printout format.
The printout format is editable or rearrangeable by the user, and the edited or rearranged printout format is stored in a memory of the personal computer.
Moreover, the present invention provides a centrifugal separator comprising a motor serving as an actuator, a rotor driven by the motor, a rotor housing in which the rotor is placed, a display unit displaying operating conditions and actual operation data, an operation panel allowing a user to set operating conditions and switch a screen image of the display unit, and a memory section storing the operating conditions. The centrifugal separator memorizes operating conditions of individual operations in the memory section when the rotor is driven according to arbitrary operating conditions, displays the individual operating conditions stored as an operation history, allows the user to select desirable operating conditions contained in the operation history, and displays the selected operating conditions as set values of the next operation of the centrifugal separator on the display unit.
Preferably, the above centrifugal separator of the present invention can be embodied in the following manner.
The centrifugal separator further comprises a rotor information input section for allowing the user to manually enter rotor information, wherein the rotor information entered from the rotor information input section is stored in the memory section as one of the operating conditions.
The centrifugal separator further comprises a clock section serving as a timekeeper for measuring an operation time of the centrifugal separator as well as a date/time of the centrifugal separating operation, wherein a start or end time of the centrifugal separating operation is stored in the memory section as one of the operating conditions.
The operation panel allows the user to register a user ID code, and the registered user ID code is stored in the memory section as one of the operating conditions.
The display unit displays last operating conditions of the rotor.